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AMERICAN  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY. 

Plans  for  the  organization  of  an  American  Bibliographical  Society 
have  been  discussed  during  the  last  years  at  several  meetings  of  the 
Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago:  first  at  an  informal  meeting  of 
resident  and  non-resident  members  held  at  Waukesha,  Wis.,  in  July, 
1900,  in  connection  with  the  American  Library  Association,  then  at  a 
meeting  called  for  the  special  purpose  of  discussing  such  plans,  at 
Magnolia,  Mass.,  in  July,  1902,  and  at  a  similar  meeting  at  Niagara 
Falls,  N.  Y.,  in  June,  1903,  the  two  latter  meetings  being  largely 
attended  by  members  of  the  American  Library  Association.  At  the 
Magnolia  meeting  a  committee  was  appointed  to  take  definite  steps 
toward  the  formation  of  an  American  Bibliographical  Society.  This 
committee  reported  at  the  Niagara  Falls  meeting  as  follows: 

“  The  committee  recommends  that  in  the  formation  of  a  national 
bibliographical  society  (which  might  be  called  the  American  Biblio¬ 
graphical  Association)  the  Chicago  society  should  invite  widely  the 
co-operation  of  book  collectors  and  scholars  generally,  besides  libra- 
[  rians,  in  order  to  give  the  new  society  a  more  representative  character 
at  the  start.  It  is  the  opinion  of  the  committee  that  this  plan  would 
gain  more  members  than  if  the  present  society  should  change  its  name 
of  its  own  volition  to  the  more  comphrehensive  one. 

“This  committee  suggests  that  in  order  to  give  the  new  society  a 
vigorous  start  the  Chicago  society  should  have  some  definite  publica¬ 
tions  in  hand  to  propose  as  the  first  issues  of  the  new  society.  It  is 
recommended  also  that  the  organization  of  the  new  society  be  left  in 
the  hands  of  the  Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

William  C.  Lane,  Chairman. 
Wilberforce  Eames.” 

Following  out  the  recommendations  of  this  committee  which 
were  endorsed  by  several  speakers  and  were  accepted  as  the  sense  of 
the  meeting,  the  Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago  hereby  extends  an 
invitation  to  bibliographers,  librarians,  scholars,  book  collectors  and 
booklovers  generally  to  join  with  it  in  the  formation  of  an  American 
Bibliographical  Society. 


That  the  lime  is  ripe  for  such  action  is  clear  to  everyone  who  has 
followed  the  bibliographical  movements  during  the  last  decade.  The  dis¬ 
cussion  in  this  country  which  followed  the  establishment  of  the  Institut 
international  de  bibliographie  and  the  publication  of  the  plans  for  the 
International  catalogue  of  scientific  literature  has  shown  how  serious 
is  the  interest  in  bibliography  among  scientific  men  as  well  as  among 
bibliographers  and  librarians,  and  signs  are  not  wanting  that  indicate  a 
growing  interest  in  scientific  bibliography  among  book?  collectors  and 
bookmen.  But  bibliography  has  not  yet  attained  to  the  position 
which  it  ought  to  occupy  in  the  intellectual  life  of  the  nation,  owing 
largely  to  the  lack  of  a  central  body  which  could  unite  the  hitherto 
scattered  and  unorganized  forces  and  work  consciously  and  systematic¬ 
ally  for  the  extension  of  bibliographical  activity  and  for  the  promotion 
of  bibliographical  research.  To  provide  such  a  body  should  be  the 
chief  purpose  of  the  American  Bibliographical  Society.  It  should 
offer  at  its  meetings  opportunity  for  the  discussion  of  bibliographical 
plans  and  problems,  and  in  its  publications,  works  of  scholarly  char¬ 
acter  especially  in  American  bibliography,  but  without  neglecting  other 
branches  of  the  subject;  it  should  collect  and  make  known  informa¬ 
tion  about  bibliographical  undertakings  in  progress  or  in  preparation 
in  this  and  other  countries;  it  should  try  to  arouse  the  interest  of  book 
collectors  in  scholarly  research,  and  endeavor  to  persuade  them  to 
make  their  treasures  available  to  the  student  and  scientific  worker  and 
thus  to  take  active  part  in  the  promotion  of  learning;  it  should  finally 
have  for  its  chief  object  the  establishment  of  an  Institute  for  biblio¬ 
graphical  research  where  large  national  undertakings  could  be  planned 
and  executed,  and  which  could  represent  this  country  in  an  efficient 
way  in  such  international  undertakings  as  are  sure  to  be  proposed  in  a 
more  and  more  increasing  degree. 

The  possibility  of  an  international  bibliographical  congress  at 
St.  Louis  in  connection  with  the  World’s  Fair  makes  the  present  time 
especially  propitious  for  the  formation  of  a  society  representative  of 
American  bibliography. 

With  the  object  of  presenting  a  concrete  proposition  the  council 
of  the  Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago  has  prepared  the  appended 
draft  of  a  constitution.  It  will  also  be  ready  to  propose  to  the  council 
of  the  new  society  some  material  for  publication.  As  a  general  prop¬ 
osition  it  is  suggested  that  while  means  for  the  publication  of  a 


quarterly  journal  might  be  found  after  the  society  has  been  perma¬ 
nently  established  for  some  length  of  time,  it  would  be  practicable 
from  the  start  to  issue  a  Yearbook  and  a  series  of  monographs  similar 
to  the  publications  of  the  Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago,  with 
extension  of  the  plan  so  as  to  include  works  of  interest  to  the 
scholarly  book  collector. 

The  Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago  invites  all  to  whom  this 
call  is  addressed  to  active  participation  in  the  formation  of  an  Ameri¬ 
can  Bibliographical  Society,  and  hopes  for  early  and  favorable 
response.  The  1st  of  February,  1904,  has  been  fixed  as  the  final  day 
for  the  return  of  the  enclosed  blank.  Immediately  after  that  date  the 
council  of  the  society  will  provide  for  the  election  of  an  organization  com¬ 
mittee  of  five  members  by  means  of  votes,  taken  by  mail,  of  all  those 
who  up  to  that  date  have  signified  their  intention  to  join  the  American 
Bibliographical  Society,  provided  their  number  seems  to  warrant  action. 
Each  ballot  v/ill  be  accompanied  by  a  list  of  bona  fide  members.  The 
committee  so  elected,  it  is  proposed,  shall  take  immediate  charge  of 
the  affairs  of  the  new  society  and  arrange  for  an  organization  meeting 
in  connection  with  the  scientific  congresses  at  St.  Louis  in  the  fall 
of  1904. 

Prospective  members  are  requested  to  fill  out  the  enclosed  form 
and  forward  the  same  to  the  secretary  of  the  Bibliographical  Society 
of  Chicago,  not  later  than  February  1st,  1904. 


THE  COUNCIL  OF  THE  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL 
SOCIETY  OF  CHICAGO 

Aksel  G.  S.  Josephson,  President 
James  W,  Thompson,  Vice-President 
Charles  H.  Brown,  Secretary 
Carl  B.  Roden,  Treasurer 
Frederick  H.  Hild 
Camillo  Von  Klenze 
Azariah  S.  Root 

Secretary’s  Address: 

The  John  Crerar  Library, 

Chicago,  Ill. 


Chicago,  December,  1903. 


PROPOSED  CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  AMERICAN 
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY. 


1.  The  name  of  this  society  shall  be  the  AMERICAN  BIBLIOGRAPH¬ 
ICAL  SOCIETY. 

2.  The  object  of  the  society  shall  be  to  promote  bibliographical  study  and 
research. 

3.  The  officers  of  the  society  shall  be  a  president,  two  vice-presidents,  a  sec¬ 
retary,  a  treasurer,  and  a  recorder  and  curator.  The  affairs  of  the  society,  includ¬ 
ing  the  election  of  members,  the  adoption  of  by-laws,  the  calling  of  meetings, 
and  the  selection  of  works  to  be  printed,  shall  be  in  the  hands  of  a  council,  consist¬ 
ing  of  the  officers,  the  last  ex-president,  and  four  councilors.  The  president, 
ex-president,  secretary,  and  treasurer  shall  constitute  the  executive  board  of  the 
council.  The  officers  shall  be  elected  annually  and  serve  until  the  election  of 
their  successors.  Of  the  councilors  two  shall  be  elected  every  two  years,  to  serve 
two  years.  Any  vacancy  occurring  during  the  year  shall  be  filled  by  the  council. 
But  in  case  of  vacancy  in  the  presidency  the  council  shall  elect  one  of  the  vice- 
presidents  as  president.  Standing  committees,  and  special  committees  not  other¬ 
wise  provided  for,  shall  be  appointed  by  the  president. 

4.  Any  person  approved  by  the  council  may  become  a  member  of  the  society 
on  payment  of  three  dollars,  which  shall  take  the  place  of  the  membership  fee  for 
the  first  year.  The  annual  fee  shall  be  two  dollars,  payable  April  1st.  Any 
member  who  shall  pay  to  the  society,  in  one  sum,  fifty  dollars,  shall  be  a  life 
member  and  exempt  from  further  dues.  A  member  whose  fees  have  been  in 
arrears  for  more  than  one  year  shall  be  dropped  from  the  society,  but  may  be 
restored  by  the  council  on  payment  of  all  back  dues. 

5.  On  the  unanimous  recommendation  of  the  council  the  society  may  elect 
honorary  members,  who  shall  be  exempt  from  all  fees.  The  number  of  such 
members  shall  never  exceed  ten.  A  member  who  has  rendered  distinguished 
service  to  bibliography  or  to  the  society  may,  on  the  proposal  of  a  member  at  an 
annual  meeting,  be  elected  a  fellow  of  the  society. 

6.  All  fees  of  life  members,  together  with  such  other  sums  as  may  be  given 
for  the  purpose,  shall  be  set  aside  as  a  publication  fund,  not  to  be  used  for  the 
ordinary  expenses  of  the  society. 

7.  Branch  societies  may  be  formed  in  any  place  where  ten  or  more  members 
reside,  by  the  election  of  a  local  secretary  and  by  notifying  the  national  secretary 
of  the  action  taken. 

8.  Amendments  to  this  constitution  may  be  voted  on  at  an  annual  meeting,  if 
notice  has  been  given  at  a  previous  annual  meeting,  or  if  the  amendment  has 
received  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  council. 


